It’s Not Just for Fat Tires

It’s Not Just for Fat Tires

To serious mountain bikers there’s nothing technically challenging about it. At forty miles, some road cyclists may find the distance a bit short. And to anyone who knows the Adirondacks, heading into the woods in early June means donating some blood to black flies. Yet despite these seeming impediments, the Black Fly Challenge Mountain Bike Race has thrived, growing to legend status across New York State and beyond.

Started in 1996 by Inlet businessmen Mike Drake (Drake’s Inn) and John Nemjo, a.k.a. Mountainman, the Black Fly quickly grew to draw 238 racers in 1998 and set  a race record in 2010 with 345 entries. The Black Fly has long-been a yearly ritual for many cyclists – not bad for a race in the middle of nowhere that literally goes through the middle of nowhere. Over half the race distance traverses the rugged Moose River Plains Wild Forest between Inlet and Indian Lake on gravel mountain roads with plenty of elevation changes. But it’s not all struggling up and screaming down hills. There are a few relatively flat sections on Cedar River Road and in the Moose River Plains. The scenery is incredibly picturesque. And with hundreds of people putting the mettle to the pedal, adventures are only a split-second away.

With so many races in the books, there’s no shortage of wild stories from “out there in the Plains.” Bikes have crossed the Finish Line with no seat, flat tires, broken rims and even on the shoulder of a few determined competitors. Post-race discussions are often friendly debates over bike frames, tire width and even favorite direction of travel (the race changes direction every year.)

The wilder adventures are usually the domain of the serious racers but not always. And there are plenty of Black Fly riders that find a victory in just crossing the Finish Line. From expert riders to the merely energetic, the race draws a diverse crowd that comes back year after year on the second Saturday in June.